Power Plastics industrial covers and liners

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE | 18 MAY 2016

Dam and reservoir liners and covers – new DIY kits alleviating the water crisis in South Africa

With Southern Africa still in the grips of one of its driest spells in decades, the need to adopt water-smart agricultural practices has become critical. Applying fresh insight and manufacturing skills to this local crisis, Power Plastics, manufacturer of covers and liners for the agri-sector, has recently launched a new DIY reservoir kit.

The complete kit, packaged on a pallet, includes a 4mm wire mesh frame, a 600 gsm PVC liner custom-made to fit inside the frame, and 40mm PVC outlet fittings. It can be ordered in various sizes, from 2 metres to 5 metres in diameter.

Before installing, the only preparation required is the levelling or grading of the ground on which the reservoir will sit. Once the frame is assembled, the liner is dropped over the frame. After securing the outlet fittings, the reservoir can be filled.

Assembled on a pallet for easy handling, the kit fits into the back of a standard pickup truck. This kit eliminates the need for specialist equipment and installations by the manufacturer, and it is geared to be transportable to remote destinations.

"There has always been a strong case for supplying these kind of solutions in kit form, especially throughout Africa. We wanted to give the end user a simple, affordable yet effective reservoir and liner, offering full control from the point of installation," says Roger McCallum of Power Plastics.

Where a larger in situ earth dam liner is required, Power Plastics is able to supply a liner of up to 50 square metres in size. The liners are available in either a 500 micron or 1,000 micron UV-treated black polyethylene or a 600 gsm, 720 gsm or 800 gsm PVC, depending on the depth and size of the dam. The company has teamed up with mobile heat welding specialists who are available to handle the final welding requirements on-site for these larger installations, as needed.

"Between these two options, we can effectively create a single, water-tight liner to suit most water storage needs," says McCallum.

Water storage solutions need a holistic approach in times of drought and, after lining the dam or reservoir, another integral element of water storage is the need to prevent losses through evaporation.

Tests show that, for a reservoir measuring 100m x 50m, with a surface area of 5,000m2, approximately 1.2 cubic metres per square metre of water per annum is lost through evaporation. At this rate 5,091,750 litres would be lost per year. Evaporation rates can vary and factors such as wind and humidity will increase these rates.

Power Plastics has the ideal solution for covering stored water to control evaporation – the Geobubble cover, which curbs evaporation by over 98%. Aside from preventing losses, a cover also improves water hygiene as dirt and debris collect on the cover, not in the water. This is beneficial where the water is consumed by livestock.

The VapourGuard cover is partially perforated to allow drainage of rain water into the underlying stored water, but it does not allow the release of water back into the atmosphere as evaporation. The cover rises and falls with changes in the water level and can be secured to the shoreline of a ground dam or alternatively float unsecured.

"Since developing these kit and cover solutions, Power Plastics has seen a sharp uptake in this approach to beating some of the water challenges associated with Africa. With so many elements of an economy hinging on reliable and clean water sources, we are pleased to be directly contributing to the livelihoods and futures of farmers, from grassroots level up," concludes McCallum.

Based in the Western Cape and with a country-wide distribution network, Power Plastic's production facility has over 1,500 metres of factory space and is geared for larger unit sizes, undertaking both short and long production runs, and ships orders worldwide. Outstanding technical processes and design capabilities have seen Power Plastics develop niches within the bulk goods market. Unique patentable liners have also been developed. With its excellent plastic welding infrastructure, the company enjoys a solid reputation for precision layout and craftsmanship and is recognised as a leader in Polyethylene, Polypropylene, PVC and thermal materials for the industrial market.